While state and local taxes fund much of education in Oklahoma, it seems there’s a shortage of money annually.
So the Kiefer community unites to help underwrite expenses for special programs that enhance education as well as fund supplies and materials teachers often buy themselves. Community members do this in two ways: Kiefer
Public Schools Foundation grants and STEP grants.
“We have been very fortunate the last few years to have raised enough money to be able to provide all the grants that were requested,” said Stacy Murrell, a member of foundation.
The Kiefer Public Schools Foundation is sponsored by parents and alumni who volunteer to raise money to provide teachers with supplies and tools to better students’ education. Each fall, the foundation distributes
applications for grant requests to teachers in the district. Grants are limited to $400 per teacher. Teachers are asked to provide a list of items complete with prices or a budget breakdown of what they need along with how these items will be used to benefit students.
Foundation members then meet to review and discuss the grant proposals and decide which they will fund.
“I was asked by another foundation member to help with a fund raising activity, and once I saw how many people they were helping I wanted to continue to help,” Murrell said.
Each spring the foundation also awards two $1,000 scholarships two seniors.
STEP – Students, Teachers, Education, Parents – is another organization of community people who come together to support education in Kiefer.
“It’s run by me and some other nice ladies,” said Julie Mathis. “It started back in 1995. We support PTA and raise money and funds for teachers.
“We first paid for the playground and the big curtains in the event center.” Mathis said.
Eight to 10 years ago, the school asked STEP to run the concession and keep the bulk of the money to fund projects, while donating 10 percent of the proceeds to the athletic department. The members of step agreed, and now parents and teachers volunteer their time to operate the concession stands for football, basketball and other sporting events.
“We have made a huge success, about $15,000 to $20,000 a year, and all (that) remains (in) the school,” Mathis said.
Once a year all teachers and staff get a form to complete detailing what they want or need for their classroom, similar to the foundation’s request. The STEP group examines requests and calculates costs and funding.
“Almost every request is granted, and we still have money left over,” said Mathis.
They calculate and approve each teacher to spend a specific amount of money in one big grant depending on how much the foundation has and how much teachers request.
Requirements for STEP grants have updated. To be approved for a STEP grant, teachers must volunteer to work concessions for at least two games or get a family member or friend to do it for them. That keeps STEP supplied with volunteers.
“I got into this because, well, I was a brand-new mom, and I was getting so wrapped up in getting involved and there was no PTA back then when we started we kept it very casual,” says Mathis, “We have been very fortunate these last few years to have raised enough money to be able to provide all the grants that were requested.”
Box tops is another outlet in which the STEP group is involved.
“I know $0.10 doesn’t seem like much, but we actually get about $3,000 a year from it, which is huge,” Mathis said. “What we really need now are any friends or family who are able to volunteer.”
STEP volunteers must be adults, not students, at Kiefer schools.
